Learning To Show Grace

I am learning to show grace,
Every day a little more,
Each and every situation,
Never knowing what’s in store.

The days I learn to hold my tongue,
And keep my eyes from rolling.
The days I go the extra mile,
Keep away from all controlling.

Learning to appreciate
The differences I see,
Instead of always trying
To make them more like me.

To treat the people that I meet
With tender loving care.
To lend a hand or maybe two,
To let them know I’m there.

To treat the other person
With a kind word and a smile.
To think about the things I do,
To ponder for a while.

How will they see Jesus
If my actions hide His face?
How will they know Jesus,
If I don’t extend His grace?

The world is not an easy place
To lay your burdens down.
Before happy, plastic people
Who never wear a frown.

You have to always look your best,
Not a wrinkle or a crease.
No time to see behind the eyes
Of those who have no peace.

No time to understand the grief.
No time to meet the need.
No time to listen with your heart,
A hungry soul to feed.

No time to sit in silence
While another cries their tears.
No time to offer comfort.
No time to calm their fears.

Grace takes lots of energy.
That we really cannot spare.
It is easier just to walk away,
Shoot up a little prayer.

But is the daily minimum,
Enough for us to do?
Can we share our heart with them?
Help them change their view?

We have this Great Deposit
Left within our care.
We have the Gospel of His grace,
The Good News that we share.

Good News to tell the ones we meet,
Good News to tell our self.
Good News we carry with us.
Not to leave upon a shelf.

Sit beside the grieving one,
Never say a word.
Your silence will surely be to them,
The words they never heard.

Compassion in the grace lived out.
Jesus right beside.
A hand upon their shoulder,
In that space, He will abide.

Grace is nothing that we earn.
Grace is given free.
Grace begins to overflow
From deep inside of me.

The well that grace is stored in,
The well that overflows,
Streams of Living Water,
Everywhere we go.

Who needs a touch of grace today?
Who needs your gentle care?
Who needs to see the face of Christ,
As you are sitting there?

What a privilege it is to be,
The bearer of Good News,
Joy that is contagious.
Joy they can’t refuse.

I am learning to show grace.
The grace I got for free.
The grace that is to give away.
Not to keep for me.

Can you imagine how the world would be,
If we only showed more grace?
We would look into each others eyes,
And see His loving face.

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Many people struggle with the Gospel.
How can I be saved when I don’t have to DO anything?
You mean I just believe?
There has to be more.

We feel so much better about ourselves if we work towards something.
We like to be in control.
We like to measure our progress.

That is the greatest stumbling block to coming to Christ.
Good Works.
Good works are like the fig leaves Adam and Eve sewed together.
The fig leaves they sewed together hastily to cover themselves after they sinned.

Fig leaves never save.
Grace saves.
Grace is not earned.
Grace is not something you acquire on your own.

Grace is not merit.
It is not pay for a job well done.
Grace is undeserved.
Grace is free.

We have trouble with free.
There has to be a catch.
There has to be something more.
There has to be something in the fine print.

There is no fine print.
God the Father wrote it very clearly in red.
He wrote it in the blood of His Son that was shed on the cross.
There it is, written there: Paid in full.

Nothing more to do.
It’s already been done.
It is finished.
Complete.

Nothing to add.
Jesus paid the debt in full.
We who believe that, who trust in Jesus’ finished work, can remove our fig leaves.
We come to the cross and we are clothed in Jesus’ righteousness.

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:21)

A substitute.
A Lamb died in our place.
The fig leaves are gone; the imperfect covering removed.
His blood covers us and we are forgiven; Perfectly covered.

Undeserved grace.
How can we not extend that grace to others?
How can we not lead them to the cross of Jesus to find forgiveness?
How can we let them continue to wear the fig leaves of their own making?

Clothed in Christ’s righteousness.
Ready and dressed for eternity.
Clothes made by the One who knows how to perfectly cover us.
What kind of clothes are you wearing?